Pitch for Novel #1

              

 Okay, I feel like I have a good handle on a Pitch for my first novel...Whatcha guys think? Would YOU read my novel?

                 It’s been 21 years since Moriels’ betrayal. 21 years since the destruction of the Ryders. 21 years for the four Realms to fall into distrust and complacency. Magic hadn’t been a part of the people’s lives for centuries; it was now only a weapon to be wielded against the common people. It was something to be feared. And besides, who did they need protection from? Moriels’ vengeance was complete… or so they thought.

                Isolated from the Realms a young girl, Riona, grew up in the shadows of the Rhal-Dages mountains in the Rhydian Valley. Among their craggily peaks and unforgiving landscape, she learned to hunt and provide for herself. Until a chance encounter with a mysterious figure unlocks something within her, and propels her into events she does not understand. Stalked by nightmarish shadow figures, she tries to uncover the truth of who she is.

                Plotting and backhanded attempts on the life of a King in the Mountain Realm capitol of Erskine prompt Riona, and her companions to action. With no one else aware of the impending threat, the unlikely companions are standing on the precipice of a change that will echo through the annals of time.

Is it just me...?

I'm wondering if it's just me, or if other people have this same thing happen to them...
I feel like the song "Wake Me Up" by Avicii is, well, for lack of a better term, my theme song. At least for the next year. Especially the Irish version made popular by BEO Lurgan.

There is something about the music, the rhythm and tones that just resonate within me every time I hear it.
And the Irish version, though not a one to one translation, (because no such translation exists between languages) is probably my favorite. There have been multiples instances of me playing the song and singing at the top of my lungs on the drive to/from work.

And yes, I can sing it in Irish.


The lyrics are as follows, Irish on top, English on bottom:
Liricí:

Fáinne fí i gcoim na hoíche.
A vicious circle in the middle of the night.
(Níl) ‘tada riamh nach mbíonn thart.
There’s nothing ever without an end.
‘Diabhail fhios ‘am cá bhfuil deireadh mo scéil.
I’ve no clue where my story’s end lies.
Ach tá mé ar an mbealach ceart.
But I am on the right way.

Deir siad liom gan a dhul sa tseans.
They tell me not to take any risks.
Nach dtagann ciall roimh aois.
That wisdom doesn’t come before you’re old.
Bhuel ‘sé m’aistear é. Ní léir cén fhad a mhairfidh sé.
Well it’s my journey. Who knows how long it’s gonna last.
‘Sé togha ar aon chaoi.
It’s brilliant, anyway.

Curfá / Chorus

So lig mé saor ón suan ‘tá orm.
So free me from this slumber of mine.
(Tai)speáin dom bóthar éasca cothrom.
Show me a fair and easy road.
Bainfidh mé ceann scríbe amach. ‘Sí m’aidhm.
I’ll make it to my destination. That’s my goal.
Cibé treo atá i ndán.
Whichever way is meant for me.

(Tá) mé ag iompar ualach mór an tsaoil.
I’m carrying life’s heavy burden.
Ach níl ‘am ach péire lámh.
But I only have two hands.
Súile troma is an ghrian ag dul faoi.
[My] eyes are heavy as the sun is going down.
Ach ní chodlaíonn mé go sámh.
But I don’t sleep peacefully.

“Bris amach agus tú fós sách óg.”
“Break away while you’re still young enough.”
Chinnigh mé le dul in’ aghaidh.
I’ve decided against that.
Bhuel, seo mo ré. Seasfaidh mé an fód.
Well, this is my time. I will stand my ground.
‘S leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh.
And I will go on.


And if you don't speak or read Irish, I do understand that it looks like a bunch of goobly-gook...but it really is quite pretty.

I will let the video speak for itself:

Flustered and Overwhelmed

I was so excited to see that Barnes and Noble box sitting outside of my door on Friday night. I sat down Saturday with a pencil and post-it note tabs and went to work marking up the newest version of the 2014 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

After marking up the advice and agent sections with many colored tags I am feeling more than a tad overwhelmed. It is not that I mind doing the writing work, in fact the only thing I really want to do with my life and time is to write for a living. What I find intimidating are all of the steps to find an agent or publisher, and trying to sell both yourself and your works.

Some require a bio, some want to only work with previously published authors, some need a synopsis, author bio, and a few chapters to consider.

Oy Vey.

I simply want to find someone who can be just as excited as I am about my works.
This whole next step is reminiscent of when I was sending out resumes and doing interviews when applying for jobs. I'm not a fan of selling myself, and I think that my work should stand on it's own.

So time to take some deep Yoga breaths and work on what I can control: editing/revising my second novel, planning the third before Camp NaNoWriMo in April, and writing the best query letter I can.

In which I explain something...

One of my personal New Years resolutions was:
     I will not date until December 1st, this is the year of revising, editing and writing three novels. So it is the year of writing and taking care of me.

Let me explain this...
I came to this decision gradually. I had been in a not so good relationship over the summer that basically broke my heart. I won't really go into details, but essentially he didn't keep a promise and I couldn't live with that. Then I was casually dating two other guys, nothing serious at all, but they only made time for me if it was convenient for them. Always wanting me to skip work to see them (which I never have done, and will never do), never wanting to work with my schedule etc. Which means that our "dating" was actually just more texting than actually seeing each other.
One day I got really sick with the flu. It was bad, so I texted both of them early on in the day, I just wanted someone to acknowledge and sympathize. NEITHER ONE cared enough to text, call, email, or come check on me. And that broke my already slightly fragile heart to a point where I was just done. I have never played "games" when it comes to dating. If I like you, I like you. End of story. These guys had me on a merry go round of emotions, and so I did the only thing I could think to do.

I got off the merry go round.

That is why this year is my year (until the new writing year starts December 1st after NaNoWriMo) to write, revise, edit and to take care and do things for me.

Dating sucks so much emotional, physical and mental energy. I no longer feel like being a part of something that drains me to the point where I spend more of my time worrying about getting a text than worrying about where my story and characters are going. My writing will always be there for me. They keep my grounded. I don't need a man to make me happy, I can and do make myself happy.

In fact, I can't remember the last time I was this happy. And I'm not talking about the giddy type of happy...though that does happen occasionally. This is something deeper, it's a sense a peace coming from my very being. It's a self confidence that tells me that I am on the right path.

I am loving my life right now, and that is all that matters.